Hydraulic closet and sink elevator

ABSTRACT

THIS DISCLOSURE DESCRIBES A WATER CLOSET SUPPORT ON WHICH A WATER CLOSET MAY BE MOUNTED. THE WATER CLOSET MAY BE ADJUSTED UP AND DOWN BY MEANS OF A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER ACTUATED BY WATER FROM THE WATER SUPPLY LINE. THE CLOSET AND SUPPORT ARE PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR USE BY ELDERLY, PEDIATRIC AND PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED PATIENTS.

Sept. 20, 1971 HAERmG 3,605,134

HYDRAULIC CLOSET AND SINK ELEVATOR Filed 001;. 14, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q N K5 a L \I \A 'q a I Q a l 1 N I '2 I m I;

NVENTOR. HOYDf/AfP/NG BY A TTORNEY.

F. :HAERING HYDRAULIC CLOSET AND SINK ELEVATOR Sept. 20, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1969 m m NM Q I VEN TOR. f2 0 r0394 m/va CM 7! M A TTORN E Y- United States Patent Oftice 3,605,134 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,134 HYDRAULIC CLOSET AND SINK ELEVATOR Floyd F. Haering, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to American Sterilizer Company, Erie, Pa. Filed Oct. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 866,330

Int. Cl. E03d 11/00 US. Cl. 4-252 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure describes a water closet support on which a water closet may be mounted. The water closet may be adjusted up and down by means of a hydraulic cylinder actuated by water from the water supply line. The closet and support are particularly suited for use by elderly, pediatric and physically impaired patients.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION This invention relates to water closets and, more particularly, to water closets that are vertically adjustable.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved water closet support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water closet support which can be adjusted vertically by means of the pressure from an ordinary water main.

STATEMENT OF PRIOR ART Vertically adjustable water closets have been proposed, for example, in Pat. 2,428,462 and in Pat. 239,037. However, each of these prior adjustable water closets have been inconvenient to operate. The present invention discloses a water closet which utlizes pressure of the water supply used for flushing the colset to serve the additional purpose of adjusting the closet vertically.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the support for the closet according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the support.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the support, with a closet shown connected to it in phantom.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic piping diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings show a water closet support with a closet 30 supported on it. The structure disclosed could also be used with a lavatory or the like and the example of a closet shown is referred to generally as a container. The support is made up of the back plate 17 and bottom plate 16 which are fixed together in rigid relationship. The back plate 17 has holes 18 formed in it through which suitable fasteners may be inserted to attach the back plate to the wall with the 'bottom plate 16 resting on the floor.

The cylinder is supported on the bottom plate 16 and extends upwardly therefrom. The back plate and the bottom plate are held in rigid relationship at right angles to each other by means of the braces 27 which are fixed to the bottom plate 16 by the nuts shown and extend upward and rearward and are fixed to the back plate 17 in a suitable manner.

The vertically extending drain line 12 has its lower end fixed to an elbow on the back plate 17 and it discharges through an opening 14 in the back plate 17. This opening may be connected to a suitable drain to a sewer.

The elbow 11 is connected to a vertical pipe 42 which is connected to line 12 by means of a suitable slip joint 13 provided with an O-ring seal of a conventional design familiar to those skilled in the art.

Lateral plates 31 are slidably mounted to the back plate 17 and extend forwardly therefrom. This back plate has cleats 3'2 fixed to its forward surface and these cleats 32 are spaced from each other and form ways which receive the outer lateral edges of lateral plates 31. Mounting plate 28 is rigidly fixed to lateral plates 31 which may slide freely in a vertical direction in the ways. The elbow 11 is attached to the plate 28 and communicates with an opening in the plate 28. The closet 30 is fixed to the mounting plate 28 by means of mounting bolts 34 which are received in openings 35 in the mounting plate. Thus the discharge opening of the closet 30 communicates with the elbow 11, line 42, pipe 12, and opening 14 to a suitable sewer drain.

The cylinder 15 receives a piston 20 connected to a piston rod 19 which has its upper end attached to the mounting plate 28 by bracket 36. A four-way valve 23 is connected to the water supply line 25 which may be connected to a suitable water main. The valve is actuated by a handle 26. Thus when handle 26 is moved up, water will flow into the space below piston 20 and raise it, raising the closet. When the handle is moved down, water will flow from below the piston to the space above it, thereby lowering it and lowering the closet.

The cylinder and valve are so arranged that the piston may be stopped at any point within its vertical adjustment length by allowing handle 26 to return to its neutral position. When not activated by handle 26, the piston will be fixed and steady, supported by equal water pressure on each side. Water discharge line 22 empties the opposing cylinder side when the piston is activated up or down.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A support for a closet comprising a bottom plate, and a back plate attached together at right angles to each other said bottom plate extending in front of said back plate,

a hydraulic cylinder having its lower end supported on said bottom plate with the longitudinal axis of said hydraulic cylinder extending upwardly along said back plate and spaced in front of said back plate,

a U-shaped mounting bracket comprising a mounting plate spaced from said back plate by two lateral, backwardly extending support plates which form the two legs of said U-shaped bracket, said support plates each having a flange portion at its free end, said flange portions being directed laterally away from said U- shaped mounting bracket, essentially parallel to said mounting plate, and slidably supported on said back plate by a first mounting means,

a second mounting means for mounting a water closet on said mounting plate,

a piston in said cylinder connected to said mounting p ate,

means for conecting a source of water to said cylinder to raise and lower said mounting plate.

2. The closet recited in claim 1 wherein means is provided for connecting said water closet to a sewer waste line through a telescoping pipe.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein a drain line is connected to said back plate,

said water closet has a vertical pipe connected to it and telescopically received in said vertical line,

and sealing means between said drain line and said drain pipe.

4. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said piston is connected to a water supply by a four-Way valve,

and handle means for actuating said valve, accessible to the user of said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 298,804 1,043,835 11/1912 Hinsdale 4252 4- Gorman 4-173 Freund et a1 4170 Lessley 4-170 Haughey 4--17O Pope 4252 Larkin 4-170 Flagg 4-170 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner 5 18 4 weeden 10 D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

